About 25 Candidates Expected at Secretary Level or Higher
21 Administrative Officer Level Candidates Registered as Preliminary Candidates
On the afternoon of the 15th, Go Min-jeong, the Blue House spokesperson, and Yoo Song-hwa, the Chunghwagwan chief, who are running in the April general election, are giving their resignation speeches at the Blue House Chunghwagwan. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-young Hwang] "I am now trying to become the voice of the people."
This was said by former Blue House spokesperson Go Min-jeong on the 15th as she declared her candidacy for the general election, riding the 'last train' of the election.
Spokesperson Go and Chun Chu-gwan Director Yoo Song-hwa both left the Blue House side by side a day before the deadline for public officials to resign in order to run for the general election.
On the same day, Secretary Kwon Hyang-yeop, who also resigned, is rumored to be running for the election. If Secretary Kwon also runs, the number of aides from the current government’s Blue House entering the election arena will reach 25.
Among those registered as preliminary candidates with the Election Commission are former senior administrative officers and administrative officers including Moon Jeong-bok (Gyeonggi Siheung Gap), Park Si-jong (Gwangju Gwangsan Eul), Park Young-soon (Daejeon Daedeok), Baek Jae-wook (Jeonnam Yeongam Muan Sinan), Oh Jung-gi (Gyeongbuk Pohang Buk-gu), Im Hye-ja (Gyeonggi Gwangmyeong Gap) former senior administrative officers, Kang Jeong-gu (Seoul Dobong Eul), Kang Hwa-soo (Jeonnam Yeosu Gap), Kim Seung-won (Gyeonggi Suwon Gap), Kim Tae-seon (Ulsan Dong-gu), Nam Young-hee (Incheon Michuhol-gu Eul), Park Nam-hyun (Gyeongnam Changwon Masanhappo), Park Sang-hyuk (Gyeonggi Gimpo Eul), Lee Won-taek (Jeonbuk Gimje Buan), Jang Hwan-seok (Seoul Jungnang Gap), Jeon Byeong-deok (Daejeon Jung-gu), Jeon Jin-sook (Gwangju Buk-gu Eul), Yoon Young-deok (Gwangju Dong-gu Namgu Gap), Lee Hong-young (Gyeonggi Yongin Byeong), Choi Dong-sik (Daejeon Daedeok), Heo So (Daegu Dalseo Eul) former administrative officers, totaling 21.
Combining 25 secretaries or higher and 21 senior administrative officers and administrative officers registered as preliminary candidates, there are 46 former Blue House aides. Since some former aides who have not registered as preliminary candidates may run at the last minute, the number of former Blue House aides from the Moon Jae-in administration could exceed 50.
How many of them will succeed in entering Yeouido?
The election results of former Blue House aides have become a hot topic in political circles, as they are directly linked not only to the ruling party’s election results but also to the governance of the Moon Jae-in administration’s latter half.
Except for former National Planning and Coordination Office Director Yoon Geon-young, who is expected to receive a strategic nomination for Seoul Guro Eul where Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young-sun has served four consecutive terms, most others must first pass fierce intra-party primaries.
Some view that less than half of the approximately 50 former Blue House aides running in the general election will pass the preliminary rounds.
A Democratic Party re-elected lawmaker from the metropolitan area said, "Even if someone served as a Blue House secretary or senior secretary, it is not easy to defeat incumbent lawmakers or former lawmakers or local government heads with strong regional bases," adding, "It will be difficult to achieve even a partial success in the primaries."
Former secretaries who served as local government heads and then entered the Blue House and are now running for the general election, such as Kim Woo-young (former Eunpyeong District Mayor), Kim Young-bae (former Seongbuk District Mayor), Min Hyung-bae (former Gwangsan District Mayor), and Bok Ki-wang (former Asan Mayor, Chungnam), are evaluated to have higher name recognition and regional bases, giving them a competitive edge over other candidates.
However, there are voices within the party saying that former secretaries Kim Woo-young (Seoul Eunpyeong Eul) and Kim Young-bae (Seoul Seongbuk Eul) must compete against incumbent Democratic Party lawmakers in the preliminary rounds, so passing the primaries is not guaranteed.
Former Secretary Kim Woo-young will face Kang Byung-won (first-term), and former Secretary Kim Young-bae will face Yoo Seung-hee (three-term) lawmakers respectively.
Among the 23 secretaries or higher who have virtually confirmed their constituencies, five must compete against incumbent Democratic Party lawmakers in the primaries.
Even if there is no incumbent Democratic Party lawmaker in the constituency, it is not an open field.
They must surpass former local government heads or former lawmakers aiming for a comeback to secure a ticket to the main election.
In Seoul Gwanak Eul, where former Senior Secretary for Jobs Jeong Tae-ho is running, former two-term Gwanak District Mayor Yoo Jong-pil is standing firm, and in Seongbuk Eul, where former Cultural Secretary Nam Yo-won is running, former two-term Korail President Oh Young-sik is holding ground.
In places where passing the intra-party primaries is expected to be smooth, there are quite a few constituencies where candidates must face heavyweight politicians in the main election.
Former Senior Secretary for Public Communication Yoon Young-chan is a representative case. Yoon, who is evaluated as the most enthusiastic among former Blue House aides in cultivating his voter base, is likely to face Shin Sang-jin, a four-term lawmaker from the Liberty Korea Party, if he passes the main election.
Yoon declared his candidacy for Seongnam Jungwon in April last year, stating, "I will reclaim a place that the Democratic Party has not held for a long time."
Former Blue House spokesperson Park Soo-hyun and former Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Han Byung-do are expected to have rematches in the main election against incumbent lawmakers who defeated them in the 20th general election if they pass the primaries.
Former Spokesperson Park received 47,792 votes (45.0%) in Gongju-Buyeo-Cheongyang in the 20th general election but lost to Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Jeong Jin-seok, who received 51,159 votes (48.13%).
Park, who was elected in Gongju in the 19th general election, won in Gongju but lost to Jeong in Buyeo and Cheongyang in the 20th general election, resulting in defeat.
Former Senior Secretary Han received 27,325 votes (36.83%) and lost by a relatively large margin to Jo Bae-sook, a candidate from the People’s Party, who received 34,201 votes (46.1%).
Unlike the 'green wave' of the 20th general election, the current political landscape is expected to be influenced by factors such as the Democratic Party’s high approval ratings in Jeonbuk and Jo’s change to the minor party Minpyeongdang.
Passing the party’s candidate eligibility screening is an urgent task for former spokesperson Kim Ui-gyeom, who succeeded Park.
The Democratic Party’s Candidate Verification Committee recently decided to continue reviewing Kim’s eligibility.
This is to further investigate the controversial issue of purchasing a building in the redevelopment zone of Heukseok-dong.
Former administrative officers generally have low name recognition, so many predict it will be harder for them to pass the primaries.
Some, like former senior administrative officers Oh Jung-gi and Park Young-soon, have run several times for National Assembly or metropolitan and local government head elections, building recognition in their regions, but most are political newcomers.
Even those who have served as aides, party members, or local councilors and have extensive election experience mostly lack direct experience running for National Assembly elections themselves.
To overcome these disadvantages, administrative officers left the Blue House relatively early and have been cultivating their voter base in their constituencies.
Im Hye-ja, former senior administrative officer, who has been running in Gwangmyeong Gap, Gyeonggi since July last year, said, "At first, it was somewhat difficult due to low name recognition, but I have largely overcome it by meeting many local residents," adding, "When I say I worked at the Blue House, people evaluate that I have national governance experience, which helps in campaigning."
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